What If Rudy Had Gone To The German Nazi School?
by leaper229
Summary: What if Rudy had gone to elite training and was not on Himmel Street for the bombing? Would he make it through the war? What would happen to him after? How would Liesel feel?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer-**

**I do not own the characters or the events that happen in _The Book Thief._ This is not my story just changed it a little.**

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There was knock on the door. Rudy's mother, Barbara, opened it. She nearly fainted when she saw the two men in black coats at her doorstep. When she looked she thought that this was it, that now her husband, or maybe Kurt, her oldest, would be taken away from her. She wasn't too far off.

"Frau Steiner?" The man on the right asked. He had shock blonde hair and stormy blue eyes, like the ocean during a hurricane.

"That is me. What do you want?" she asked. She hoped that her terror did not show through her voice.

"We came to talk to you and your husband about your son. May we come in?" This time it was the one on the left. He had sandy blonde har, and blue eyes so soft that it makes you, even me, death, wonder how he could wok for such a cruel man, the _Fruhrer, _Adolf Hitler.

"Of course." She opened the door wider so they could come in. When they cam in she led them into the kitchen. They passed the kids in the living room playing dominos. She walked into the kitchen "Make yourself comfortable. I'm just going to go get Alex." She left.

When she returned with her husband, Alex, they sat down with the two men. "Would you like some water or milk?" she asked the men

"No thank you." The sandy haired man answered

"We came here to talk about your son, Rudy." The one with the darker eyes started.

"What about him?" Alex inquired.

"He has been giving an amazing oppurtuinity to go to a school that trains young men in a good physical form, like your son, to be in elite form of Germans. These German will be stronger. They will be a new bread of Germans that will scare away our enemies, and make us the stringest country in the world." He explained.

Alex and Barbara looked at them with shocked faces. "Where would this school be? Would he stay with us?" Barbara asked, but she didn't need to. She knew what the answer would be before she asked.

"The school is in Berlin, so he would be taken there." The man with the light eyes answered.

Rudy began to grow curious of the men in the kitchen, so he left his game of dominos with his siblings, and pressed his ear against the door. He heard that the men wanted to take him away to school to be trained. He heard it all, and he did not like it.

"You don't have to make your mind up now, but when you do write a letter to this address." The one with the sandy haired man slipped Alex a paper. "_Auf w__iedersehen."_ The two black coated men got up and went to the door.

"Goodbye to you too." Frau Steiner said as she showed the men to the door.

Once the men left, Rudy went up to his parents. "They want to take me away, don't they," he said he looked up, into the eyes of his father. "Don't lie to me I heard them! They want to take me away to some school!" He yelled. "Well I'm NOT going!" He went to turn away back to his room, but his father caught his arm.

"I'm sorry, Rudy," his father said. He wasn't mad at him. His voice was calm, but you could hear the waver of sadness in his voice," but we can not afford to not do as these men say. They can hurt anyone of us, or send me away. I'm sorry you must go."

Rudy stepped away from his father and started screaming from his hurt, "YOU COWARD, YOU _SAUKERL. _YOU WOULD RATHER THEY TAKE YOUR SON AWAY THEN TO ACT LIKE A MAN AND FIGHT!" After getting these words out, he pushed past his parents and went through the door. Rudy knew there was no denying the inevitable, he was going away.

His father was not upset at what his son had just said to him. He did not go after Rudy because he knew that he would eventually come back on his own with a new set of mind. Unfortunately his wife did not realize this about him. For she was screaming about the kitchen yelling about where he could have gone, but he refused to let her leave to look.

Rudy wondered around. He almost went to Liesels house to tell her what happened, but he knew that the words would never be able to come out correctly. He realized now that his father was right. If he didn't do what the _Fuhrer _wanted, his father would be drafted, and there would go the little money supply they had left. He knew what to do. He knew he needed to go. With that in mind he went back to house, and preparing for what he was about to face

What Herr Rudy Steiner didn't know, was that this desiscion to go, to leave Himmel Strasse, just saved his life.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own _The Book Thief _or the characters used**

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Today was the day.

Today was the day everyone had been dreading.

Today was the day Rudy left to go to elite training.

Today Rudy would get on a train to Berlin, and he would never come back.

Liesel got up early to go meet the Steiners at the train station to say goodbye to Rudy. She got dressed, had her small breakfast of bread, and left. She didn't talk to Mamma or Papa at all during breakfast. She was too sad. Rudy had been her best friend from day one when she came to Himmel Street, and now she would have to live here without him. She would miss him. She would miss his lemon hair, the way he smiled, the way his blue eyes always swam with excitement, the way he would always ask her for a kiss. Oh how her heart would melt when he would ask her, and how she had begun to want to kiss him when he asked, but never did.

The walk to the train station is too short because while her mind wandered, she had arrived. Liesel instantly spots the Steiners. Rudy's parents and siblings are surrounded around him. They are all crying, even Rudy. She slowly makes her way over to them.

Rudy spots her, smiles, and calls, "There you are, _Saumensch. _I was staring to believe you wouldn't be coming."

His smile makes her feel like there are birds fluttering in her stomach, which makes her feel better, even now. Liesel loses all her thoughts, but still manages to get out, "Like I wouldn't say goodbye, S_aurkel."_

She hugs him. Hard. Like she never wanted to let go. Because she didn't.

Liesel hears his parents vaguely saying that they'll leave to give the two of them so alone time.

"I am going to miss you so much," Liesel says.

"I think I'm going to miss you most of all." Rudy whispers in her ear.

They just stay in that hug for a while. Neither wanting to let go. Every word that either wanted to say was not said aloud, but through the hug. They finally broke up when the horn signaling that the train would be leaving soon.

She just stares at him. Liesel feels cool drops running down her face. She knows that this may very well be the last time she would ever see his face so she takes it all in at once. His lemon hair, his eyes, his jawline, his nose, his lips.

"Can I get that kiss now?" Rudy asks. He doesn't expect that he'll get it. He's just joking, but he also wants it. What comes next surprises him and Liesel.

Liesel stands on her toes and places her lips on his. It was just a small peck on the lips, but it left them both speechless. She can feel the imprint of the kiss on her lips, like there was a fire blazing where his lips touched. They're just staring at each other, but there is so much being said between them at the moment.

That was when Liesel Meminger realized that she was in love with Rudy Steiner.

She was in love with the boy about to leave.

She was in love with the boy she will most likely never see again.

The horn blows again, Rudy's family comes back, they all say their final goodbyes, they go through another round of tears, and Rudy boards the train. Before he goes all the way out of sight, he turns around and yells, "Goodbye, Saumesch!"

"Goodbye, Saurkel!" Liesel yells back.

Rudy walks the rest of the way onto the train, and goes out of sight. The train leaves, but Liesel just stands there staring at where the train was. Her heart was broken, and there was nothing anyone could do. The boy she loved was on a train to where he will die.

But what Liesel didn't know, was that this train ride really saved his life.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own ****_The Book Thief _****or the characters used**

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The first thing Rudy hears that morning, is the horn. The same horn that gets blown every morning to wake them up.

Rudy knows the drill by now. It's exactly six o'clock in the morning. He has five minutes to get dressed, brush his teeth and head to line up for today's schedule. After that he has thirty minutes to eat, then go to whatever training he has that day. He's known this routine for six months. Six whole months of having to do rigorous training, over, and over again.

Rudy hated it.

Rudy wanted to go back to Himmel Street. Back to his parents, his siblings, his friends, and Liesel. He really missed Liesel. They way she laughed, and smiled, and acted, and kissed. He had been extremely surprised by that kiss. It wasn't a bad surprise, in fact, it was a really good one. Even after all this time, all he could think about was getting back to Liesel, for another kiss.

The second horn blew signaling that his five minutes were up, and he needed to get out to line up. Rudy quickly made his way to the lawn outfront and stood his the rest of his troop. This wasn't really the army. He was too young for that, but this was pretty damn close.

He stood still as his troop leader made his way to the front, and everyone gave their salutes. "Soldiers," he began. "Today, first thing is weapons training. You will be practicing taking apart rifles, and then putting them back together. Then it's synchronization training, and fight tactics. Now go to breakfast."

Everyone saluted again, and left for breakfast.

If there was one thing Rudy hated more than being away, it was the food. Everything that wasn't burnt, tasted like dirt, but he ate his food anyway. If he didn't, he wouldn't be able to get through the day without fainting. He sat down and ate his food, just like everybody else. He talked with some of his friends, but the conversations always consisted of, "Did you hear we won/lost a battle," or "Tomorrow Hitler's giving a speech," or sometimes "There's that new rifle in the weapons shed that would seem fun to shoot." They were never really conversations he particularly enjoyed, but today's conversation went a little differently.

"Did you hear about that street that got bombed last night." His friend, Albert, said. "The bombers missed their mark so the warnings went to the wrong area so the entire street was destroyed."

"I heard that everyone, except for one person, died." Ricky piped in.

"Where was this?" Rudy asked

"I don't know." Albert replied.

Rudy didn't think much of it. He just kept eating while others talked around him, until the horn sounded, signaling the end of breakfast. Rudy picked up his tray, and put it with the others. When he turned around, his leader was standing by the entry.

"Rudy Steiner, come with me to the main office" He shouted.

Rudy made his way to the leader, and followed him out the door. _What did I do? _He kept thinking the walk over to the office.

The main office was like every other building here. Big, gray, and boring. He knew that the only soldiers that go to the office are the ones bing released (which rarely happens), the ones in big trouble, or soldiers with family that died.

That was when he knew.

It wasn't when the Director was telling him there was a mistake with where a bomb fell, or that the alarms couldn't sound in time. It felt like ages until the director came out and said that his entire family was dead.

Rudy felt like he shouldn't believe him, but he also knew that he wasn't lying. His family was dead. Then a thought of a certain blonde haired brown eyed girl popped into his head. "Were there any survivors?" Rudy asked. He could barely talk. Even those few words were had to get out, and when they did, they were barely audible.

"One. That's all I know. You will be sent back home for two months grievance time, then you will come back. We have made accommodations for you to stay in the Mayor's house on Grand Strasse."

Rudy could hardly stand. He couldn't speak at all. His mother, his father, his brothers, his sisters, and most likely, Liesel, the girl he loved. He did not realize he lived her until just then. When it was too late.

"You have an hour to get your stuff together and come back here, where the car will be waiting to take you to the train station. Once you get off the train the mayor's wife Ilsa, will be waiting to pick you up, and bring you to her house. Now move it soldier, and put on brave face. You're a soldier, not a little girl. Now go."

Rudy managed to get to his feet and masked his emotions. He saluted the Director, and left the office. He made his way back to his bunk, packed, and headed back to the office in a trance. All he could think was _They're really gone. What am I going to do now? Who is that one person still alive? I'm never going to see Liesel again. I'm never going to kiss her again. I'm never going to see any of them again._ Before he knew it he was already standing in the office again.

Rudy stood there for five minutes until the director showed him to his car. Rudy managed one final salute, and closed the car door. He was on his way to face the death if everyone he cared about. He didn't know what he would do when he got there. He didn't know how he'd act. He couldn't cry, at least not yet. He couldn't show weakness, so for right now he leaned his head against the cool window, and waited until he arrived at the train station that would take him to a home that no longer existed.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer-**

**I do not own any of the characters or _The Book Thief _**

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Rudy hated having to wait. He aways had. He was very impatient.

So when he had to wait during a forty-five minute drive to the train-station, then during a five hour train ride, then another thirty minute drive to the police headquarters, and now to be told to wait some more for the police chief to come out and fully tell him what happened (he had already been waiting for twenty-three minutes and counting) he normally would have lost his temper and his little patience, and would begin yelling and running around the building, but today all he could do has sit still. He couldn't stop thinking about his family and friends.

Everyone he knew was dead. His siblings, his parents, his friends, his enemies, his love. His mind would keep on going back to Liesel. He would start by thinking of one of his sisters or his mother or a friend and his mind would just come back to her. He loved her still, loves her, but he will never see her again. He will never see any of them again. He knew one person survived, but he also knew the unlikelihood of it being anyone he cared about. But he still had hope.

The chief came out of his office. He was a tall man, about the size of Rudy's eldest brother, with well groomed blonde hair and light blue eyes. "Sorry to keep you waiting, this must be a very hard time for you. I'm Chief Peterson." The man said, he holds out his had for Rudy to shake, and he does. Then the chief takes out his clipboard and continues, "Last night an American bombs landed on Himmel Stasse. The bombs that landed there were to be dropped several kilometers over so we were not able to warn the civilians in time..."

Rudy had pretty much tuned out by then but he still heard, "There was nothing left" and "There was nothing we could do," and "Your family was gone when we got there."

Rudy went still he could barely do anything but he had to know, "I was told that there was one survivor. Who was it, and how did they survive?"

The chief checked his clipboard "I don't have the name here, but it was a child, they were in their basement at the time. Who knows why they were there, but they were lucky. They are also staying at the Mayor's house so you will have time to talk to them."

"What happens now?" he asks in almost a whisper.

"A car will take you to the remains of your house, you can survey and take what you want. Then the car will take you over to the Mayor's house where you will stay. Do you have any questions?"

Rudy shook his head. The chief gave a salute, Rudy saluted back, and the chief walked back into his office. Rudy sat back down, his head reeling and numb at the same time. _They are all dead. I will never see them again, _was all he could think.

He was still in this state of mind when a man came up behind him and told him he would be the one driving him and that it was time to go.

They got into the car and drove away. Rudy hadn't even noticed they had driven more than to feet when the driver announced that they were here.

Himmel Strasse was unrecognizable. Everything was either burnt or rubble. He was directed to his house.

His house not a large or noticeable house, so taking a look around was not that long. Which was good because he couldn't stand to be in the place that he knew was the place where his family had died, but he still went around the house. He went to his parents room, his sisters', and to the room he shared with his brothers. He found blood in all of those rooms. When he left his house all he took was his old ball the kids in the neighborhood used to play football (**A/N: Not American football**) with.

He was about to leave when he saw something on the ground. He realized that it was right next to the Hubermann's house. He decided to go and look before he left. He needed to. What he saw lying on the ground was the journal Ilsa Hermann had given to Liesel, the one she wrote in all the time. He knew she would never go anywhere without that book. That was when he had lost all hope of Liesel being alive.

Tears started to come down his face and he didn't care who was watching. He couldn't bare to look at the book anymore, or anymore ruins so he went back to hte car and told driver to go to the house.

In the car ride Rudy managed to stop crying but he was still very upset. Everyone he loved was gone from this world and he was stuck in a place he didn't want to be. Training to be someone he didn't want to be. _Would it be better if I were dead with them?_ He thought but quickly put that thought away because thinking taht was cowardice, and Rudy Steiner was no coward. He would face it. He always did.

The front of the Mayor's house was the same as it had been when he went there with Liesel to steal books and pickup laundry. Thinking of Liesel made his heart break, but he was momentarily distracted when the door opened.

The door opened to Ilsa Hermann in a blue dress, she was motioning for his to come inside.

"I'm sorry. Tell me if there is anything you need." She said. She looked very sincere and concerned.

"Can I talk to the survivor?" he asked. He wanted to see who it was and he wanted someone to talk to.

"I don't know if that is best. She is very sad, and had not talked to anyone."

_Aha, so it's a girl,_ he thought.

"Please, I just want to see them." His eyes pleading.

"Come this way." She lead him up the stairs. He guessed she didn't have the heart to say no to someone who had just lost their family. She lead them to a door that was down the hall "She's in this room, and you will be staying in the one next door." Then she left.

Rudy waited amount to go in and to collect his thoughts. Then he turned the door handle and went in. The lights were off. He could see the outline of a girl underneath the blanket. He could tell that she had dark blonde hair, but that was it. She rolled over, and he could see her face clearly now. She had brown eyes and a beautiful face, and despite everything, he smiled when he saw it. He was looking at the girl he went into freezing water for to get her boo back, snuck into houses to steel, asked countless times to kiss.

He whispered her name barely audible.

"Liesel"

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**Tell me what you think down in the reviews.**

**Sorry this took so long. I'll try to be quicker next time.**


	5. Author's Note Not a chapter

**This is not a chapter. SORRY! :(**

**I have been really busy with finals that are finally over, unfortunately I will be leaving for a month and will have no access to internet so I will not be writing another chapter for a while. Sorry.**

**This story is not over yet I just won't be writing for a little. **

**See you soon**


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